Former Trans World Airlines terminal at JFK now a hotel

The terminal was designed by world-renowned architect Eero Saarinen in 1962 and closed to the public in 2001

"The TWA building was ahead of its time, and it represented New York's vision and creativity and boldness and outside-the-box thinking"

The owner MCR Development invested $265 million to construct the hotel

<p>NEW YORK CITY, New York - The historic TWA Hotel at JFK International Airport, a transformation of the former Trans World Airlines terminal is now accepting guests.</p><p>The terminal was designed by world-renowned architect Eero Saarinen in 1962 and closed to the public in 2001. It is now the centerpiece of a modern 512-room hotel that will preserve its mid-century design. The new hotel, announced in 2016, builds on the historic $13 billion vision plan to transform JFK airport into a 21st century facility to allow it to continue to serve as the nation&#39;s premier international gateway.</p><p>&quot;The TWA building was ahead of its time, and it represented New York&#39;s vision and creativity and boldness and outside-the-box thinking. New York has always been the state that led the nation in firsts, in reforms, in turnarounds and in troubled times. When the nation needed to find a direction forward, you could always look at New York and New York pointed the way forward,&quot; New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said Friday. &quot;This rebirth of the TWA Hotel says we haven&#39;t lost our imagination, our boldness, our creativity, our daring - and we are still one step ahead of everyone else.&quot;</p><p>&quot;This project transforms the former TWA terminal into a modern hotel, offering a new option for travelers to stay,&quot;<strong> </strong>New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said Friday.&nbsp;&quot;</p><p>&quot;The world-class hotel creates thousands of job opportunities and builds on our significant investment to transform JFK Airport. The modernization of the airport will enhance the overall travel experience, increase tourism, and grow the economy of New York State.&quot;</p><p>The TWA Hotel project was achieved through an ambitious public-private partnership on a 6-acre site in the center of JFK Airport, which serves approximately 63 million passengers a year and 1,300 flights daily. The hotel will include 512 guestrooms with views of airport runways and the historic TWA terminal, 50,000 square feet of event space, a 10,000 square foot observation deck and pool and a 10,000 square foot state-of-the art fitness facility for guests. The project has also restored the terminal&#39;s most iconic spaces, which will now include dining options such as Paris Caf&eacute; by Jean-Georges and the Ambassador&#39;s Club, as well as a Lockheed Constellation L1649A Aircraft - one of four remaining in the world - that will now house a cocktail bar. The space also includes museum exhibitions devoted to the New York Jet Age, TWA&#39;s history and the mid-century modern design movement.</p><p>The facility, which is currently the only on-site, AirTrain accessible hotel at JFK, will connect to Terminal 5 via Saarinen&#39;s &quot;Catch Me if You Can&quot; flight tubes. It employs energy-efficient design, with LEED certification, and will be powered through an off-grid power plant that is located on the roof of the north hotel wing. The project was union built, with 3,700 construction jobs created, and will be union operated, with 795 total employees estimated throughout the entire facility.</p><p>The owner MCR Development invested $265 million to construct the hotel. Prior to the hotel development, in order to attract interest from the private sector, the Port Authority oversaw a $20 million modernization of the building consistent with its historical landmark designation. The Port Authority is also investing $8 million to connect the hotel to the Terminal 5 Parking Garage. Additionally, MWBEs were awarded more than $50 million in contracts for the construction of this project.</p><p>The TWA project was assisted by more than $36 million in federal rehabilitation credits and $5 million in state historic tax credits. The federal and state rehabilitation tax credit programs offer tax incentives to rehabilitate vacant and underutilized historic buildings. Administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the state credit was introduced in 2006 and subsequently overhauled and reauthorized by Governor Cuomo to extend and enhance the program&#39;s use.</p><p>The JFK Vision Plan, announced in 2017 calls for an overhaul of the airport&#39;s hodgepodge of eight disparate terminal sites into one unified JFK Airport by demolishing old terminals, utilizing vacant space and modernizing on-airport infrastructure, while incorporating the latest in passenger amenities and technological innovations. The first new gates are scheduled to go live in 2023 with the project anticipated to be completed in 2025.</p><p>The new passenger facilities will feature significantly larger waiting areas with high ceilings, natural light and modern architecture coupled with interior green space, exhibits and art featuring iconic New York landmarks and local artists. World-class retail, restaurants and bars will include locally-based restaurateurs, craft beverage options and Taste NY stores. Free, high-speed Wi-Fi and an abundance of charging stations throughout the terminals will enable passengers to stay connected at each step of their journey. State-of-the-art technological improvements will also be part of the terminal upgrades, with security enhancements - such as radiation detection and next-generation identification of unattended packages.</p><p>The Vision Plan also calls for increasing the number and size of gates, improving parking availability, an array of airside taxiway improvements to allow for bigger planes and reduced gate congestion, upgrading the AirTrain JFK system to handle increased passenger capacity, and enhanced roadways on and off the airport. This includes better access to JFK from regional roadways, particularly the Van Wyck Expressway and the Grand Central Parkway, including the Kew Gardens Interchange.</p><p>In October last year Cuomo announced the formation of the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council, composed of elected officials, community boards, non-profit organizations, civic organizations and clergy. The council is tasked with working with the Port Authority to expand community outreach efforts that are already underway, ensuring that the project solicits feedback from local stakeholders, MWBE businesses and job seekers. The TWA Hotel has worked with the council over the last few months on a local hiring effort for this project.</p><p>&quot;The opening of the TWA Hotel at JFK creates an architectural gem as well as a symbolic step forward in Governor Cuomo&#39;s vision to transform JFK into a world-class, 21st century gateway. The preservation and conversion of this world-renowned landmark offers a one-of-a-kind destination for international visitors and New Yorkers alike. As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to many more, as this is just the beginning of JFK&#39;s transformation into an entire airport that&#39;s as welcoming, impressive and iconic as this beautiful new hotel,&quot; Rick Cotton, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Friday,</p><p>Tyler Morse, CEO of MCR and MORSE Development, the New York-based firm responsible for developing the TWA Hotel, added: &quot;Since announcing that we would reopen the TWA Flight Center as a hotel, we have received thousands of letters, emails and calls from people around the world expressing their love for Saarinen&#39;s beloved cathedral of aviation. We feel the same. It has been an honor to restore one of the most iconic buildings in America.&quot;</p><p>JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said: &quot;It&#39;s a great day for Queens and for JFK as the TWA Hotel opens its doors. We&#39;re proud to be an investor in this aviation icon that will support the governor&#39;s vision for a 21st century Kennedy Airport.&quot;</p><p>Congressman Gregory W. Meeks said: &quot;The TWA Hotel exemplifies the overall mission behind JFK&#39;s redevelopment, remodeling its history to reinvent JFK into the future. This public-private partnership strengthens both our tourism industry and local business community, including the MWBE&#39;s contracted for the hotel&#39;s completion. With the project&#39;s focus on local and diverse hiring, and its available convening space, the TWA Hotel won&#39;t just be part of the airport but part of the community.&quot;</p><p>Senator Leroy Comrie said Friday:The opening of the TWA Hotel is an exciting step toward our goal of revamping JFK Airport and meeting the expectations of the millions of travelers from around the globe who pass through it every year. I am pleased that $50 million in contracts related to this project were awarded to local MWBEs, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the state and throughout the community to invest in the people and small businesses of Southeast Queens through the redevelopment of JFK Airport.&quot;</p><p>Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. said: &quot;As a life-long resident living within a mile from JFK, I am extremely excited for the opening of the brand-new TWA Hotel at the airport because it signifies to the rest of the world what we already know, that Queens is the place to be and represents a first-class welcome to all. This luxurious hotel will serve millions of visitors who fly into Queens and provide the credible jobs so crucially needed in the economy. I want to thank Governor Cuomo and everyone who was involved in bringing this ambitious project to fruition.&quot;</p><p>Senator Todd Kaminsky said Friday: &quot;The transformation of JFK Airport into a world-class transportation hub is underway with the construction of this hotel. This public-private partnership is exactly what is needed to take this facility and our region to the next level.&quot;</p><p>Assembly Member Vivian E. Cook said: &quot;The reopening of the TWA Flight Center, as a new hotel, is yet another Governor Cuomo&#39;s transformative vision for a modern New York. This new hotel will feature state of the art technology that will improve the travel experience of more than 100,000 Americans who fly out of JFK every day.&quot;</p><p>Assembly Member Michele Titus said: &quot;The former Trans World Airlines Terminal is an iconic landmark, and transforming this historical gem into the TWA Hotel at JFK will attract more visitors and spur robust economic growth in our local economy and state as a whole.&quot;</p><p>Assembly Member Michaelle C. Solages said: &quot;As one of the main points of entry into our nation, JFK International Airport has long been a source of pride for New Yorkers. It is with great pleasure that I join Governor Cuomo in announcing the grand opening of the historic TWA Hotel, which alongside the $13 billion JFK redevelopment plan, presents an innovative vision for the airport&#39;s future. By incorporating union workers and awarding over $50 million in contracts to MWBE&#39;s, we are ensuring the surrounding communities aren&#39;t just subject to development but benefiting from it as well. The enhancements made will allow for easier transit and increased accessibility to JFK Airport and the new hotel will provide state-of-art facilities for New Yorkers and visitors alike. This is another great example of what is possible when the public and private sectors work together in tandem.&quot;</p><p>Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer-Amato said Friday: &quot;The opening of the TWA Hotel is a huge step in the JFK redevelopment project. I applaud Governor Cuomo for making this a reality. The opening of this hotel is just one step of many within the redevelopment where residents, businesses and communities are able to benefit.&quot;</p><p>Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman said: &quot;I am a member of the TWA advisory board and am proud of the development of the TWA hotel. I look forward to the jobs and infrastructure supported by the redesign of JFK Airport. The future is taking off at JFK and not leaving the Southeast Queens community behind.&quot;</p><p>Queens Borough President Melinda Katz said Friday: &quot;The TWA Hotel is an amazing symbol of how ingenuity and inspiration can help fuel the continued growth of Queens as a destination for New Yorkers and visitors from around the world. The TWA Hotel is a welcome addition to our borough that has revitalized a landmark structure while also creating jobs for hundreds of Queens residents. This incredible project has shown that when it comes to economic development in Queens, the sky&#39;s the limit!&quot;</p><p>Council Member Adrienne Adams said: &quot;The opening of TWA hotel is a game changer for JFK airport. This ambitious project, the first hotel on JFK airport grounds, brings new life to the iconic TWA terminal that has been dark since 2001. The TWA hotel, as part of JFK airport&#39;s redevelopment, will benefit so many New Yorkers by creating new jobs, growing our economy and attracting more visitors.&quot;</p><p>Council Member I. Daneek Miller said Friday: &quot;The opening of the world-class TWA Flight Center hotel heralds Southeast Queens&#39; newly attained status as the gateway to New York City&#39;s booming tourism industry, and will provide tangible gains to our local economy. The fact this occasion comes on the heels of the JFK Redevelopment Community Information Center&#39;s recent launch is especially significant, as our workforce should be well positioned to take advantage of the many hospitality, retail, and service industry jobs the Flight Center will generate. I commend Governor Cuomo for his leadership in championing this project as well as his continued commitment to promoting local hiring in Southeast Queens throughout the revitalization of JFK Airport.&quot;</p><p>Council Member Donovan Richards added: &quot;The opening of the TWA Hotel is the first big step in the direction of a newly-transformed JFK Airport. This project delivered on thousands of new jobs for New Yorkers and highlights the historic architecture of the old TWA terminal. The new facility will also offer new dining options and much-needed event space in the Southeast Queens community.&quot;</p>